MONTSANT DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN (D.O. MONTSANT)

Wines with a Sense of Place

VINE-WINE EQUILIBRIUM

DO Montsant wines rely on a legacy of centenary vineyards combined with current academic knowledge. These are hand-crafted wines, where the winemaker is present throughout the winemaking process. This process is the result of an unmistakeable relationship between the vineyards and the winery. The winegrower looks after the vines so that cellar masters and winemakers receive the best grapes possible, the ones which allow them to make wines which are enjoyed and loved the world over.

GRAPE VARIETIES AND WINES

Red wines are the most common in DO Montsant, given that 90% of total grape production is red. Amongst these, Garnatxa (Grenache) and Carinyena (Carignan) stand out for being the historical grape varieties of the region. They are the better adapted to Montant’s climate and better transmit this DO’s identity.

Garnatxa Negra (Red Grenache) offers aromatic, voluptuous wines, full of complexity, resulting in very structured wines. Carinyena (Carignan), also known as Samsó, is aromatically very intense and produces medium alcohol wines with very good acidity.

In terms of white wines, these are made mainly from Garnatxa Blanca (White Grenache) and Macabeu (Viura). They are known for their silkiness, structure and elegant and subtle aromas.

Rosé wines have gained more market share over the years. They are intense on the nose, silky in the mouth and stand out for their fruity aromas.

Additionally, the region also boasts a long tradition of fortified wines. Sweet wines, Rancios (old traditional wines similar to Oloroso sherries) and Mistela sweet wines have recently reclaimed their former prestige as gourmet products.

LANDSCAPE

Farming the land and respect for the environment go hand in hand in the DO Montsant. The landscape adds value to quality wines, telling of work well done and sustainable farming processes. It is an element of the region’s identity and is of cultural value, making up part of the rich heritage of this fascinating land.

WINE TOURISM

Discover for yourself what each bottle of Montsant holds: pleasure, history, landscape, people, know-how, wine culture… Come and have a sip. We would love to share it with you.

LOCATION

With the lion’s share of the vineyards located in Priorat county and some land in the river Ebro county, this ring-shaped wine appellation (or known here as a DO = Designation of Origin) takes its name from the Montsant mountain range, which rises majestically to the north.

QUALITY

The DO Montsant has become a true revelation in the last few years and is now a reference point in the national and international wine world. The quality of the wines made here has confirmed wine critics’ opinions and specialist press reviews. The critics once proclaimed it to be a region “on the up, offering quality wines” and a “great discovery”. Now they speak of Montsant as a wine region which “has re-invented itself with new producers (who) have jumped into the global fray” (The New York Times); which is “enjoying a passionate romance with both consumers and critics” (Sobremesa magazine); a DO which is “at the avant-garde of a winemaking style and which has become a way of life in just ten years” (Guia de Vins de Catalunya – Catalan Wine Guide).

These accolades from specialist wine press have had a positive knock on effect in terms of wine sales. Today, Montsant wines can be found on the tables of wine consumers from over forty countries. More than half of Montsant wines are destined for export.

Montsant wineries have remained true to their desire to continuously surprise and captivate consumers with high quality wines, whilst still offering great value for money.

A SENSE OF PLACE

What makes a good wine into a great one is its capacity to transmit where it comes from. This sense of place in Montsant leads to unique wines which tell of how climatic diversity, mountainous terrain and different soil types and grape varieties, coupled with man’s helping hand can add numerous nuances to the finished product.

These wines are unique, bursting with their own identity, wines which add diversity and enrich the DO and yet still manage to define it globally.